Buggy-axle brace.



W. T. MOONEY.

BUGGY AXLE BRACE. APPLICATION FILED NOV-13, 1915.

1 filfifi Patented Feb; 20, 1917.

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BUGGY-AXLE BRAGE.

' I Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 13, 1915. Serial No. 61,369.

To all whom it may concern; f

Be it known that I, VVILLIAM T. MOONEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bottineau, in the countyof-Bottineau and State of North Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buggy- Axle Braces, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in buggy braces, and has for its object to provide a device of this character whereby the front axle of the buggy or the like is securely braced with relation to the other parts of the running gear thereof, while the usual turning of the said axle about the king bolt is not hampered in any manner.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a device of this character which is comparatively simple and inexpensive in its. construction, which is very durable, and which does not add any material Weightto the weight of the running gear.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in. certain novel combinations and arrangements of the partsfas will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the novel features thereof being pointed out in the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings,in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of the running gear of a buggy, the body of the buggy being removed to more clearly illustrate the invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View taken on the line 2-2 on the Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a similar view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawing by the same reference characters.

For the purpose of illustration the invention has been shown as applied to a buggy, although it will be understood that it may be utilized in connection with the running gear of other vehicles if desired. Referring to the drawing the letter A designates the running gear of a buggy, the said running gear consisting of a rear axle 1, a front axle 2, the reach 3 and the wheels 4. The

rear end of the reach 3 is securely braced with relation to the rear axle by the hounds to the blocks.

5, while the front end of the reach is secured to the front axle by the usual king bolt 6. A rod 7 of circular cross section is bent into the shape of a semicircle having the king bolt as a center, and projects rearwardly Patented Feb. 20, 1917.

from the front axle, the opposite ends of the said rod7 being secured to the front axle by means of blocks 8, while at an interme diate point in its length the rod passes beneath the reach 3. Although the rod 7 is shown in the present instance as passing beneath the reach 3, it will be understood that the rod 7 may be placed over the reach if desirable.

The blocks 8 for securing the ends of the rod 7 to the front axle areshown as secured to the axle by means of U-bolts 9, the front ends of the said blocks projecting forwardly in front of the axle and being bifurcated at 10 to provide a thill coupling. The rear ends of the shafts 11 are placed between the arms of the bifurcations 10 of the blocks, and bolts 12 pass through the arms of the bifurcations to fasten the ends of the shafts The rear ends of the blocks 8 are bifurcated at 14 in a manner similar to the front ends of the blocks, the bifurcations being adapted to receive the opposite ends of the rod 7. Pivot bolts 15 are provided for pivotally securing the ends of the rod 7 to the rear ends of the blocks so that the rod may swing vertically to accommoin construction to the blocks 8, with the exception that no thill coupling means is provided thereon. The blocks 17 are secured to the front axle by means of the U-bolts 18, and pivot bolts 19 are provided for pivotally securing the ends of the braces 16 to the blocks 17 to accommodate the swinging of the rod 7 At the intersection of the rod 7 with the reach 8 a guide is provided for guiding the movements of the rod 7 as the axle 2 turns about the king bolt 6, the said guide allowing the rod 7 to freely move laterally, and securely bracing the front axle through its engagement with the rod 7. A strap 20 of metal has its opposite ends bolted to the under side of the reach 3 by means of the bolts 21, the intermediate portion of the of rollers 22 is said strap being bent outwardly and spaced from the underside of the reach. A pair 7 interposed between the strap 20 and the reach 3, said rollers being mounted upon and rotatable about bolts'28, the lower ends ,of which'are inclined rearwardly.

1 These rollers 22 are spaced apart a distance equal to the diameter of the rod'7 and are arranged upon opposite sides of the rod 7', so that the said rod in its movements as v the front axle turns about the king bolt may slide freely between the rollers, the inclination rearwardly ofthe rollers allowing the.

[rod 7 to movelslightly rearwardly to ac commodate itself'to any cramping of the running gear of the buggy. In order to prevent, rattling of the rod 7 and to keep in a yieldable engagement with the reach 7 3, a coil spring 24 is arrangedbetween the strap 20 and the head 25 of a bolt 26 which passes loosely through an opening 27 in the strap and is provided at its opposite end with a nut 28 to prevent displacement of the bolt from the strap. The head 25 of of the rod 7, and it will'be seen that the acthe bolt 26 slidably engages the underside tion of the spring 24 will hold the rod 7 in a yielding engagement with the reach 3 so asto prevent'any rattling of the rod.

against the reach; It will also be obvious that the spring, although holding the rod 7 against the reach will yield and allow for any warping or bending in the rod 7 so as to prevent binding thereof against the reach, and will also offer a yielding resist- The rollers 22 allow the rod ers 22, It will thus be seen that a strong and durable brace for the front axle of a buggy or the like is provided, although the brace is comparatively light and does not a buggy or the like, of a rod bent into the.

shape of a semicircle having the king bolt as its center and having its opposite ends connected to the front axle, the intermediate portion thereof slidably engaging the reach, rollers carried by the reach and arranged upon opposite sides of the said rod so as to guide the movements of said rod over the reach as the front axle turns about the king bolt, the said rollers being inclined rearwardly so as to allow a slight rearward movement of the rod caused by the cramping of the running gear and yielding means for resisting the rearward movement of the rod.

2. In combination with the running gear of a buggy or the like, a semicircular shaped rod having the king bolt as its center, the intermediate portion of said rod slidably engaging the reach, and rollers carried by the reach and arranged upon opposite sides of said rod to prevent undue cramping of the, running'gear and injury to the king bolt, the said rollers being inclined rearwardly to allow a slight rearward movement of the rod caused by the usual incidental cramping of the running gear.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM T. MOONEY.

Witnesses:

ANTON LALLUM, L. W. RATHERS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

. Washington, D. C. 

